Cambodia deports The Pirate Bay cofounder to Sweden

Cambodia has deported Gottfrid "Anakata" Svartholm Warg, cofounder of the Pirate Bay, according to a spokesperson from the Swedish Foreign Ministry. He was arrested last week at his apartment in Phnom Penh. A press representative, reached in Stockholm, declined to give further details.

“Since he left Cambodia, he's no longer a consular case for the foreign ministry,” said Linn Duvhammar, the spokesperson, in an interview with Ars. “I have to direct all questions to the Swedish National Police.”

Svartholm apparently was forced to board a flight from Phnom Penh to Stockholm via Bangkok on Monday.

The Swedish developer, along with three others, was convicted by a Swedish court in 2009 on the charge of “assisting in making copyrighted content available.” Very little of the $6.5 million that they were ordered to pay has been collected, and all four defendants no longer live in Sweden. In February 2012, the Supreme Court of Sweden declined to hear the case.

Attempts to contact Svartholm's Cambodian and Swedish counsel were unsuccessful.

No direct route

Because Cambodia and Sweden do not have an extradition treaty, Cambodian authorities appear to have deported him under the alleged charge that he had an expired visa. There is speculation that Svartholm's arrest may also have to do with his activities as cofounder of PRQ, the Swedish Web host that provided hosting to WikiLeaks.

However, his Swedish friend and fellow activist Niklas Femerstrand has said publicly this may not be accurate.

“Even though his passport had been revoked when he became internationally wanted by Interpol, Gottfrid still had a valid visa until the day of his arrest,” he wrote Monday in a guest post on TorrentFreak.

Femerstrand also argued that by using this tactic of deportation rather than extradition, local authorities did not comply with local law requiring the government to provide him with legal counsel to challenge the ruling, nor inform Svartholm Warg he had the decision of where to go from Cambodia.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts protesting in Bangkok and refuses to board the plane,” Femerstrand told the Phnom Penh Post. “This is not the first time he’s dealt with law enforcement. They’re not going to get him so easily.”

51 Reader Comments

It does seem awfully coincidental as well that an aid package worth about ~$60M USD was pledged to Cambodia by Sweden shortly after the deportation(as reported by Ars sister publication Wired UK, and elsewhere).

It does seem awfully coincidental as well that an aid package worth about ~$60M USD was pledged to Cambodia by Sweden shortly after the deportation(as reported by Ars sister publication Wired UK, and elsewhere).

Press reports seem to indicate that Svartholm is at present en route to Stockholm via Bangkok.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts protesting in Bangkok and refuses to board the plane,” Femerstrand told the Phnom Penh Post. “This is not the first time he’s dealt with law enforcement. They’re not going to get him so easily.”

"I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts protesting in Bangkok and refuses to board the plane,” Femerstrand told the Phnom Penh Post. “This is not the first time he’s dealt with law enforcement. They’re not going to get him so easily."

My parents were once on a plane on which a person being involuntarily deported was also transported. There wasn't any option to "not board the plane". The person had both hands and feet shackled, and was carried on to the plane after everyone else had boarded. Once on the plane, the person was laid, still shackled, on the floor and his custodians sat placing their feet on his back.

"I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts protesting in Bangkok and refuses to board the plane,” Femerstrand told the Phnom Penh Post. “This is not the first time he’s dealt with law enforcement. They’re not going to get him so easily."

My parents were once on a plane on which a person being involuntarily deported was also transported. There wasn't any option to "not board the plane". The person had both hands and feet shackled, and was carried on to the plane after everyone else had boarded. Once on the plane, the person was laid, still shackled, on the floor and his custodians sat placing their feet on his back.

That must have been a pleasant way to spend a transatlantic flight.

I feel like flying safety regulations are not going to let them do that anymore, though this is Cambodia......

Agreed. When I work from home I get dressed as if for work right away in the morning. If I don't then my productivity goes down from working in the office. If I do get dressed for work then my productivity is actually higher than in the office.

On a related note I've been seriously considering upping my work attire from "the norm" to something more dressy as a psychological advantage in moving my career forward. It'll be harder to do in the current job than if I had done it when starting a new one unfortunately.

To bring it back to the article. I imagine he looks more like a "hard-luck" case appearing that way then he would wearing an Armani suit. While the whole trial/sentencing is over, he is still sculpting his public image every time he is seen based largely on how he looks.

It does seem awfully coincidental as well that an aid package worth about ~$60M USD was pledged to Cambodia by Sweden shortly after the deportation(as reported by Ars sister publication Wired UK, and elsewhere).

Purely speculation of course, still...

Edit: Clarify Sweden is the one providing the aid package

I don't think it was a coincidence. Unfortunately its a small enough story that it will largely go unnoticed. Cements the idea that Sweden's politics as of late aren't particularly leaving much to be desired.

On a related note I've been seriously considering upping my work attire from "the norm" to something more dressy as a psychological advantage in moving my career forward. It'll be harder to do in the current job than if I had done it when starting a new one unfortunately.

It works, although not so much with your peers. At least not in the software world. But program/product managers suddenly started taking my suggestions and objections far more seriously when I started dressing to their standards rather than the product development team standards. I know its ridiculous, but whatever, I'll take it. It has helped my standing among people who have an impact on my career and how I am percieved in the company, so its a small price to pay.

It does seem awfully coincidental as well that an aid package worth about ~$60M USD was pledged to Cambodia by Sweden shortly after the deportation(as reported by Ars sister publication Wired UK, and elsewhere).

Purely speculation of course, still...

Edit: Clarify Sweden is the one providing the aid package

I don't think it was a coincidence. Unfortunately its a small enough story that it will largely go unnoticed. Cements the idea that Sweden's politics as of late aren't particularly leaving much to be desired.

People see the conspiracies that are most convenient to their preexisting worldview...

It does seem awfully coincidental as well that an aid package worth about ~$60M USD was pledged to Cambodia by Sweden shortly after the deportation(as reported by Ars sister publication Wired UK, and elsewhere).

Purely speculation of course, still...

Edit: Clarify Sweden is the one providing the aid package

I don't think it was a coincidence. Unfortunately its a small enough story that it will largely go unnoticed. Cements the idea that Sweden's politics as of late aren't particularly leaving much to be desired.

People see the conspiracies that are most convenient to their preexisting worldview...

Naw, my preexisting view of Sweden was that they were "cool" -- pretty much one of the most progressive democracies in the World. Now they look like puppets. Maybe they always were puppets, but their recent behavior in terms has definitely been *against* my previous worldview.

It does seem awfully coincidental as well that an aid package worth about ~$60M USD was pledged to Cambodia by Sweden shortly after the deportation(as reported by Ars sister publication Wired UK, and elsewhere).

Purely speculation of course, still...

Edit: Clarify Sweden is the one providing the aid package

swedish monetary (and other) support to cambodia has been going on since 1979, Five years before mr Swartholm was born. The budget for 2012-2013 was SEK 400 million, or about $60. You can take off your tinfoil hat and read more at www.sida.se

It does seem awfully coincidental as well that an aid package worth about ~$60M USD was pledged to Cambodia by Sweden shortly after the deportation(as reported by Ars sister publication Wired UK, and elsewhere).

Purely speculation of course, still...

Edit: Clarify Sweden is the one providing the aid package

I don't think it was a coincidence. Unfortunately its a small enough story that it will largely go unnoticed. Cements the idea that Sweden's politics as of late aren't particularly leaving much to be desired.

People see the conspiracies that are most convenient to their preexisting worldview...

Naw, my preexisting view of Sweden was that they were "cool" -- pretty much one of the most progressive democracies in the World. Now they look like puppets. Maybe they always were puppets, but their recent behavior in terms has definitely been *against* my previous worldview.

Sometimes when two preexisting views come up against each other, a person has to weigh one and decide which one wins out. In this case, the idea of massive conspiracy against a TPB admin wins out over "sweden is cool", so you revised your opinion in order to make it align with the predominent worldview between the two.

Had you been actually objective about it, you would have simply looked up those payments, and found the information that Erik posted above. But that would require effort, and why go through effort when it has the potential to discredit an easily adopted and convienent point of view?

I bet the software and media piracy rate in Cambodia is over 90% even within the federal government. They're a bunch of brown nosing hypocrites.

No question about the route to take as far as the Cambodia Goverment is concerned, hand over a high-way bandit or face the wrath of Uncle Sam and Mighty Thor.No reasonable mind wants that, heu ?

See, even readers around here feel less concerned about this kind of outlaw.

I don't post much, but . . . er . . . by 'highway bandit' do you mean 'thief who stole artists intellectual property for personal gain while mouthing off about personal freedom, then ran away hid behind the skirt of a highly corrupt regime while spending his loot'?

Just checking.

Incidentally, the corruption claim is based on Cambodia sitting 164th out of 182 in the Corruption Perceptions Index. One below that bastion of freedom, Zimbabwe. Personally, I think that's a bit harsh, but I thought it a good idea to back up my claims . . . rather than saying something like, 'I bet Cambodia is 90% corrupt', totally off the top of my head. Because that might make me look like the kind of person who doesn't think things through?

However you may feel about him or how he looks (aren't we all gods?), he is important and people like him, and on a similar but greater scale Assange, these people keep the place honest by showing us - in this case - the hypocrisy that these proceedings are not based on any rules of law. From the start the laws are abandoned in the name of the 'greater good'; Cambodia had no right to deport him, they just didn't want the attention.

Who wants to have trouble with Sweden anyway? It's like hating on a puppy.

It does seem awfully coincidental as well that an aid package worth about ~$60M USD was pledged to Cambodia by Sweden shortly after the deportation(as reported by Ars sister publication Wired UK, and elsewhere).

It does seem awfully coincidental as well that an aid package worth about ~$60M USD was pledged to Cambodia by Sweden shortly after the deportation(as reported by Ars sister publication Wired UK, and elsewhere).

Purely speculation of course, still...

Edit: Clarify Sweden is the one providing the aid package

I don't think it was a coincidence. Unfortunately its a small enough story that it will largely go unnoticed. Cements the idea that Sweden's politics as of late aren't particularly leaving much to be desired.

People see the conspiracies that are most convenient to their preexisting worldview...

Naw, my preexisting view of Sweden was that they were "cool" -- pretty much one of the most progressive democracies in the World. Now they look like puppets. Maybe they always were puppets, but their recent behavior in terms has definitely been *against* my previous worldview.

Sometimes when two preexisting views come up against each other, a person has to weigh one and decide which one wins out. In this case, the idea of massive conspiracy against a TPB admin wins out over "sweden is cool", so you revised your opinion in order to make it align with the predominent worldview between the two.

Had you been actually objective about it, you would have simply looked up those payments, and found the information that Erik posted above. But that would require effort, and why go through effort when it has the potential to discredit an easily adopted and convienent point of view?

Not only that, why don't you look up Sweden's history for making aid packages to Cambodia? Now compare the size of those payments and their frequency. Let me know if this was merely in line with what they usually do.

It does seem awfully coincidental as well that an aid package worth about ~$60M USD was pledged to Cambodia by Sweden shortly after the deportation(as reported by Ars sister publication Wired UK, and elsewhere).

Purely speculation of course, still...

Edit: Clarify Sweden is the one providing the aid package

I don't think it was a coincidence. Unfortunately its a small enough story that it will largely go unnoticed. Cements the idea that Sweden's politics as of late aren't particularly leaving much to be desired.

People see the conspiracies that are most convenient to their preexisting worldview...

Naw, my preexisting view of Sweden was that they were "cool" -- pretty much one of the most progressive democracies in the World. Now they look like puppets. Maybe they always were puppets, but their recent behavior in terms has definitely been *against* my previous worldview.

Sometimes when two preexisting views come up against each other, a person has to weigh one and decide which one wins out. In this case, the idea of massive conspiracy against a TPB admin wins out over "sweden is cool", so you revised your opinion in order to make it align with the predominent worldview between the two.

Had you been actually objective about it, you would have simply looked up those payments, and found the information that Erik posted above. But that would require effort, and why go through effort when it has the potential to discredit an easily adopted and convienent point of view?

Not only that, why don't you look up Sweden's history for making aid packages to Cambodia? Now compare the size of those payments and their frequency. Let me know if this was merely in line with what they usually do.

Um, can you not read the post that was right above mine that pointed out that this was the normal budgeted amount, and that they have been giving similar aid packages for forty years, scaling up slowly over time?

However you may feel about him or how he looks (aren't we all gods?), he is important and people like him, and on a similar but greater scale Assange, these people keep the place honest by showing us - in this case - the hypocrisy that these proceedings are not based on any rules of law. From the start the laws are abandoned in the name of the 'greater good'; Cambodia had no right to deport him, they just didn't want the attention.

Who wants to have trouble with Sweden anyway? It's like hating on a puppy.

Cambodia did not care about him until he started pissing in the pool. Read up on what he was up to. Drug addict, owed a bunch of money to locals, causing problems. That's when they decided a plane ticket was cheaper than ignoring him.

Seriously, Cambodia does not give a fuck what anyone thinks about them. If you think they do, then you really do not know anything about the country or its incredibly corrupt government.

I read elsewhere that Warg is suffering badly from drug addiction. That being the case, whatever the rights or wrongs of his enforced trip back to Sweden, his journey home might very well save his life.